Search

There’s more than one route into studying in our creative community. From Evening & Saturday Courses, to Foundation and BA courses, to research degrees, you’ll find a path through AUB that suits you. Simply select the course level you’d like to study.

Found a course that you’d like to apply for? Simply select from the boxes below to find out how to apply for each of our courses and for advice on entry requirements.

We believe people learn best in a vibrant, caring environment. We want to help you thrive while you’re here.

On campus, you’ll find lots of great resources, facilities and, most importantly, a friendly environment. Lots of the courses overlap or collaborate, so you’ll meet plenty of new friends studying other subjects.

You can find out more about life at AUB by exploring the sections below.

Established in 1885 as a specialist institution, Arts University Bournemouth is a leading University offering high quality specialist education in art, design, media and performance across the creative industries.

We’re passionate about the creative subjects we teach and continue to encourage curiosity, risk-taking and adventure in exploring and pushing subject knowledge and its boundaries.

The University is situated two miles from the centre of Bournemouth, on the border between Bournemouth and Poole. Here are details on how to get in touch and how find us.

At AUB, our flourishing research and scholarship culture celebrates and enables original investigation; extending knowledge fields and developing new understanding within the arts.

By promoting the pursuit of innovation and creativity, we encourage opportunities for establishing and sharing best practice in research and foster the development of critical perspectives that have traditionally lain outside discrete disciplines. We encourage the use of reflective teaching and learning practices as part of an interactive relationship with research.

Staff research is supported from within AUB by grants for particular projects and by a Research Fellowship programme offering generous remission from teaching and administration. Researchers are also encouraged to apply for external funding for the full range of research from practice through history and theory.

A proactive Research Forum enables staff to present work in progress and to hear and participate in discussions of research by distinguished visitors. Training and advice is available to those intending to apply for external funding.

The University occupies a significant position in the cultural nexus of the south west. The University’s own Gallery is an important showcase for creative work and there are established links with other arts institutions in the area.

Illustration alumna Courtney Dyer on working as a Freelance Illustrator and Fragrance Consultant

Published 1st September 2017

“Doing a double A-level in Art and Design enlightened me to all the different types of disciplines within art study. I initially found it very difficult to narrow down the type of potential career path and the styles I liked the best because I very much enjoyed exploring different types of mediums with different objectives and I didn’t want to ‘pigeon hole’ myself into studying one pathway.

“This allowed me to explore all options and to express myself through illustration ensuring that I covered the briefs with meaning. Two students from my class were going to Open Days at AUB and encouraged me to go; which I did! I saw an amazing community full of creatives and it was so modern and focused solely on the Arts – I just knew it was for me. When I researched further, I found that it had a good employment percentage for graduates and was very well known with an excellent reputation. Also I really liked that the course did not have a ‘house style’ like the other universities I went to look at.

“At first it was a little overwhelming, turning eighteen and moving away from home and my family, having to manage my own finances etc… However I soon learnt that being at AUB gave me a great sense of freedom, I was able to express myself alongside my new friends and fellow creatives and I continued to explore new options, pushing my creative practice further than I ever had before.

“Exploring the medium and technique of paper-cutting became a passion of mine during my second year at AUB. I was instantly enthused and I wanted to push my practice further into the three-dimensional realm of possibilities and design. I was inspired by paper-cut light-boxes whilst researching the medium of paper and the method of layering paper in a decoupage way, which has become prominent in my 3D illustrations as it creates a sense of depth. Using the transformative effect of lighting, I use LED’s to bring life to my work, which creates a dramatic aesthetic and unusual quality which steers away from the familiar paper-cutting approaches.

“After graduating my plan was to try freelancing but building up an online presence for myself has taken time, and with bills to pay I have been working as a fragrance consultant at Boots as well as woking on my illustration work and website. I have completed a couple of commissions that have been successful but I am hoping that my most recent commission will open doors for me.

“My latest commission has been for the perfumer Ruth Mastenbroek, I was asked to create four illustrations for her four fragrances. The stories behind these illustrations are beautifully represented in my paper cuts, and I am so proud that my work can now be seen on packaging, as this was always a goal of mine.

“The design agency William Maun contacted me after seeing my work on the AUB website. The agency has always been very keen to spot new university graduates and push them forward. My work matched what their client was looking for and so I was commissioned to complete the illustrations for Ruth’s fragrances.

“Each of Ruth’s fragrances has a personal story containing her memories and she wanted the illustrator to recreate this in each of the designs. Each drop tells the story and inspiration behind her fragrances and I have been able to capture this in each oneusing my paper cut technique.

“I am so thrilled that my work is going to be seen! It has been over six months since I created the illustrations and Ive been waiting to show them and now its time! It was a truly unique project to work on and I am very excited for it to finally be getting the attention it deserves. I have been invited to the official product launch at Fenwick in Bond Street in London on 1st September and I will take my original paper cut light boxes to show.

“The artists that inspired me to create paper cut dioramas were Hari & Deepti; a couple that create light boxes. Their work is truly beautiful and the craftsmanship of their work, partnership and success is something that I aspire to.

“After Christmas I am planning to pursue a design internship as working alongside the design agency on this packaging project has really excited me and I would love the opportunity to continue with this type of work alongside freelancing.”

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, you confirm that you are happy to receive cookies on this site. You can access our privacy policy here.